I asked my Instagram audience to pick my next nutrition self-experiment, and of course… they chose the hardest, most sensational one: a 12-week bikini shred.
Think strict food tracking, chicken breasts and egg whites, progress pics in your underwear, and living in a constant state of low-grade hunger... all for that one glossy “after” photo.
In this episode, I walk you through why I seriously considered it (yes, I found a coach), and why in the end, it’s an absolute no for me.
I share my pros-and-cons list (um, it’s all cons), the dangerous mental toll of before/after photos, what “willpower culture” does to women, and why I believe crash diets -- even/especially the fancy, Instagrammable ones -- set us back in every possible way.
Here are the 16 reasons I can't do a bikini shred diet (and maybe neither should you):
📸 Before Pics are Sad
🔍 Progress Pics Would Ruin Me
⚖️ I’ll Never Measure Food Again
🍽️ Living in Low-Grade Hunger? No.
💪 Willpower is a Finite Resource
❓ Will a Shred Even Work for Me?
🥩 Losing Food Joy Isn’t Worth It
🚫 What Would I Even Be Allowed to Eat?
😬 The Danger Of The After Photo
🔄 The “After After” Nobody Talks About
🔔 Losing Trust in Hunger Signals
➗ Trusting Math Over Your Body
🪞 Am I Attractive Enough Yet? ...How About Now?
🎉 Being Cheered for Unsustainable Results
👙 Looking Good in a Bikini Isn’t My Goal
😩 Having to Pretend I'm Enjoying It
If you’ve ever been tempted by the promise of quick results or felt haunted by the idea of looking “good in a bikini,” this conversation will help you see through the dysfunction and remind you why sustainable, peaceful fat loss is worth more than any spray-tan photoshoot.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro & Audience Poll: Choosing the next nutrition experiment
01:41 - The Four Options: Wegovy, Octavia, Dairy-Only, Bikini Prep
03:21 - Why Bikini Prep Won the Poll
05:17 - My Backstory & Body Image Reality
08:50 - Why Crash Diets Aren’t for Me (or You)
10:29 - The Pros & Cons List (Spoiler: All Cons)
12:59 - The Problem with Before Pictures
15:23 - Progress Pics & Mental Health
18:16 - Why I Refuse to Measure Food
20:41 - The Dangers of Restriction & Hunger
24:15 - Willpower: Why I’m Done With It
28:46 - Would a Bikini Shred Even Work for Me?
31:03 - Food Joy & Boring Diets
34:24 - The After Picture Trap
39:10 - What Happens After the Shred?
42:30 - Losing Trust in Hunger Signals
45:10 - Will I Only Feel Attractive When Thinner?
47:30 - Why Looking Good in a Bikini Isn’t My Goal
49:00 - The Willpower Warrior Myth
51:00 - Final Thoughts: Why It’s a No for Me